Magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a magnetic coupling element ( 100 ) with a magnetic bearing function. The magnetic coupling element ( 100 ) has a drive-side coupling magnet ( 109 ) arranged on a drive shaft ( 106 ), and also an output-side coupling magnet ( 115 ) arranged on an output shaft ( 112 ), the output-side coupling magnet ( 115 ) being magnetically coupled to the drive-side coupling magnet ( 109 ), and finally a bearing magnet ring ( 118 ) which is non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet ( 109 ) or ( 115 ), a bearing magnet portion ( 133, 136 ) of the bearing magnet ring ( 118 ) having the same polarity as a coupling magnet portion ( 127, 130 ) opposite the bearing magnet portion ( 136 ).

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.

BACKGROUND Field

The invention relates to a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function and to a or to a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function of the type specified in the independent claims. The present invention also relates to a computer program.

Description of the Related Art

Magnetic coupling elements can be used in which opposing pairs of magnets are used to transmit torque without contact. In addition, diversion elements can also be used to guide a magnetic flux and thus increase the transmittable torque and improve the efficiency of the coupling element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of this, the approach presented here introduces a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function, a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function, a device which uses this method, and finally a corresponding computer program according to the main claims. The measures listed in the dependent claims allow advantageous embodiments and improvements of the device specified in the independent claim.

A bearing function can also be achieved in the radial direction, for example, by means of an additional bearing magnet ring which is arranged inside a magnetic coupling element so as to be offset from the coupling magnets.

A magnetic coupling element is presented which has a magnetic bearing function, the magnetic coupling element comprising the following features:

-   -   a drive-side coupling magnet arranged on a drive shaft;     -   an output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output shaft, the         output-side coupling magnet being magnetically coupled to the         drive-side coupling magnet; and     -   a bearing magnet ring which is non-rotatably mounted with         respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet, at         least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet ring         having the same polarity as a coupling magnet portion opposite         the bearing magnet portion.

A drive shaft can be a rod-shaped machine element that is used to transmit rotary motion and torque and to support rotating parts. Coupling magnets can be a type of coupling element of which the torque transmission function is based on the action of a magnetic field or a coupled. An output shaft can be a machine element in which the power introduced via the gear mechanism can be tapped at the shaft end of said mechanism in the form of machine power. A bearing magnet ring can be an at least partially ring-shaped magnet which allows bearing without material contact by magnetic forces. Overall, it should be noted that the approach presented here advantageously allows permanent magnets to be used as magnets.

According to one embodiment, the bearing magnet ring and the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet have magnetic poles which attract one another in the axial direction and oppose one another so as to repel one another in the radial direction. This can result in a considerable reduction in friction losses, and there can be improvements in terms of efficiency, heat generation and wear.

According to one embodiment, the drive-side and the output-side coupling magnet can each have at least coupling magnet portions having a different polarity, in particular with the two coupling magnet portions being arranged or oriented in the axial direction. This can result in an improved carry-along effect by optimizing or aligning the magnetic flux lines in the magnetic coupling element.

According to one embodiment, the bearing magnet ring can comprise at least two bearing magnet ring portions of a different polarity, in particular with the two bearing magnet ring portions being arranged beside one another in the axial direction. In this case, such a structure of axially adjacent and mirror-image bearing magnet ring portions can be produced more cost-effectively and simply and/or can have an improved bearing function.

According to one embodiment, the bearing magnet ring can surround at least one portion of the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet. In this case, a relatively high repelling force and thus a stable bearing function can be achieved between the bearing magnet ring and the opposite drive-side or output-side coupling magnet which is spaced apart therefrom.

According to one embodiment, the bearing magnet ring portion can have an angular offset with respect to the opposite coupling magnet portion of the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet. In this case, the angular offset can be used to compensate for the rotation of the two shafts with respect to one another when torque is applied, during the bearing.

According to one embodiment, the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet can radially surround the bearing magnet ring. The magnetic fields radially emanating from the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet can be combined and the magnetic force between the individual parts of the magnetic coupling element can be amplified.

According to one embodiment, the bearing magnet ring can be separated from the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet by a tubular portion of a housing element. In this case, there can be a separation of media, in particular if the magnetic coupling element is intended to be used in regions around which fluid flows.

According to one embodiment, the housing element can be made from a non-magnetic metal or material and/or can be formed so as to be non-rotating or non-rotatable. A housing element of this kind allows losses due to magnetic reversal of the housing element to be avoided.

Furthermore, a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function is presented, the method comprising the following steps:

-   -   providing the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on a drive         shaft, the output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output         shaft, and the bearing magnet ring; and     -   assembling the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on the drive         shaft, the output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output         shaft, and the bearing magnet ring in such a way that the         output-side coupling magnet is magnetically coupled to the         drive-side coupling magnet and the bearing magnet ring is         non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or         output-side coupling magnet, at least one bearing magnet portion         of the bearing magnet ring having the same polarity as a         coupling magnet portion opposite the bearing magnet portion, in         order to produce a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic         bearing function.

Said method can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixture of software and hardware, for example in a controller.

The approach presented here further provides a device which is designed to execute, trigger or implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding apparatuses. The problem addressed by the invention can also be quickly and efficiently solved by this variant of the invention in the form of a device.

For this purpose, the device can have at least one computing unit for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or an actuator for reading in sensors signals from the sensor or for outputting data or control signals to the actuator and/or at least one communication interface for reading in or outputting data which are embedded in a communication protocol. The computing unit can be a signal processor, a microcontroller or the like, and the memory unit can be a flash memory, an EEPROM or a magnetic memory unit. The communication interface can be designed to read in or output data wirelessly and/or in a wired manner, it being possible for a communication interface which can read in or output data in a wired manner to read in said data from a corresponding data transmission line or output same into a corresponding data transmission line electrically or optically.

A device in the present case can be understood to mean an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and/or data signals on the basis thereof. The device can have an interface which is designed as hardware and/or as software. In the case of a hardware design, the interfaces can be part of a so-called ASIC system, for example, which includes a wide range of functions of the device. It is also possible, however, for the interfaces to consist of their own, integrated circuits or to at least partly consist of discrete components. In the case of a software design, the interfaces can be software modules which are present on a microcontroller, for example, in addition to other software modules.

A computer program product or a computer program having program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or memory medium, such as a semiconductor memory, hard-disk memory or an optical memory, is used to execute, implement and/or trigger the steps of the method according to one of the above-described embodiments, in particular if the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the approach presented here are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for one embodiment of a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a device for executing a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The magnetic coupling element 100 comprises a housing element 103, a drive-side coupling magnet 109 arranged on a drive shaft 106, an output-side coupling magnet 115 arranged on an output shaft 112, and a bearing magnet ring 118. The different poles of the coupling magnets 109 and 115 and the bearing magnet ring 118 are indicated with different colors, the north pole being indicated with an “N” and the south pole being indicated with an “S.”

The output-side coupling magnet 115 is magnetically coupled to the drive-side coupling magnet 109. The drive-side and output-side coupling magnet 109 and 115 each have at least coupling magnet portions 121, 124, 127, 130 having a different polarization, the coupling magnet portions 121, 124, 127, 130 being arranged in particular in the axial direction. The bearing magnet ring 118 also comprises at least two bearing magnet ring portions 133, 136 having a different polarization, the two bearing magnet ring portions 133 and 136 also being arranged in particular in the axial direction. The bearing magnet ring 118 surrounds at least one portion 127 and 130 of the drive-side coupling magnet 109. The bearing magnet ring 118 is non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet 109 and 115, each bearing magnet portion 133 and 136 of the bearing magnet ring 118 having the same polarization or polarity as a coupling magnet portion 127 and 130 opposite the bearing magnet portion 133 and 136. The bearing magnet ring 118 and the drive-side coupling magnet 109 have magnetic poles which attract one another in the axial direction and oppose one another so as to repel one another in the radial direction.

The drive shaft 106, which is a motor shaft according to one embodiment, and the output shaft 112 each carry magnetic dipoles, resulting in a preferably axially parallel magnetic flux. Since different poles attract one another, the output shaft 112 is carried along in the direction of rotation when the drive shaft 106 rotates. The axial force occurring in the process is absorbed by an axial bearing, which is not shown here. Magnetic yoke plates are also not shown in FIG. 1 . Depending on the torque applied, the two shafts 106 and 112 rotate by several angular degrees with respect to one other.

In order to demonstrate a radial bearing function, the bearing magnet ring 118 is connected to one of the coupling magnets for conjoint rotation, this being the drive-side coupling magnet 109 according to one embodiment, in such a way that radially repelling poles oppose one another. The bearing magnet ring 118 is thus centered with respect to the drive-side coupling magnet 109. If this bearing is extended in an axially parallel manner, this arrangement can take over the complete radial bearing of a shaft. Care should be taken in this design that the coupling magnets 109 and 115 are designed to be considerably stronger than the bearing magnet ring 118 in order to ensure the transmission of torque. For instance, it can be ensured that the repelling or attracting forces of the coupling magnets 109 and 115 are not able to produce a rotation of the bearing magnet ring 118 on the shaft with respect to those in the housing element 103, which would lead to an attracting force between the bearing magnets. The coupling magnets 109 and 115 and the bearing magnet ring 118 can in principle also be magnetized in a 2-, 4-, 6- etc. poled manner.

The present magnetic coupling element 100 can be particularly advantageous in the case of all kinds of drives in which the transmission of torque is required without using a shaft to be sealed by a seal and for which, at the same time, radial bearing of the output-side coupling magnet 115 is required. This is the case, for example, in metering and micropumps for driving impeller-like rotors. A particular advantage is provided for driving in which drive-side and output-side media separation is desired.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of a magnetic coupling element 100 with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment. The magnetic coupling element 100 shown in FIG. 2 can be, for example, a variation of the magnetic coupling element 100 shown in FIG. 1 .

The magnetic coupling element 100 comprises the housing element 103, the drive-side coupling magnet 109 arranged on the drive shaft 106, the output-side coupling magnet 115 arranged on the output shaft 112, and the bearing magnet ring 118. The different poles of the coupling magnets 109 and 115 and the bearing magnet ring 118 are indicated with different colors, the north pole being light gray and the south pole being dark gray. The output-side coupling magnet 115 is magnetically coupled to the drive-side coupling magnet 109. The bearing magnet ring 118 is non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet 109 and 115, the bearing magnet portion 133 and 136 of the bearing magnet ring 118 having the same polarization as the coupling magnet portion 127 and 130 opposite the bearing magnet portion 133 and 136. One bearing magnet portion 201 has an angular offset 203.

The bearing magnet portion 136 has the angular offset 203 with respect to the opposite coupling magnet portion 130 of the drive-side coupling magnet 109. In order to compensate for the rotation of the two shafts 106 and 112 and the coupling magnets 109 and 115 with respect to one another when torque is applied, during the bearing, this can also be provided in the angle-side assignment. An additional bearing magnet ring 118, which is mounted so as to be angularly offset from one of the coupling magnets 109 or 115, makes it possible, in addition to magnetic poles which attract one another in the axial direction and take over the coupling function, to also have repelling poles which oppose one another in the radial direction, and which therefore demonstrate the bearing function.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of a magnetic coupling element 100 with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment. The magnetic coupling element 100 shown in FIG. 3 can be, for example, a variation of the magnetic coupling element 100 show in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 .

The magnetic coupling element 100 comprises the housing element 103, the drive-side coupling magnet 109 arranged on the drive shaft 106, the output-side coupling magnet 115, and a bearing magnet ring 118. The different poles of the coupling magnets 109 and 115 and the bearing magnet ring 118 are indicated with different colors, the north pole being light gray and the south pole being dark gray. The bearing magnet portion 133 and 136 of the bearing magnet ring 118 has the same polarization or polarity as the coupling magnet portion 121 and 124 opposite the bearing magnet portion 133 and 136.

According to one embodiment, the output-side coupling magnet 115 radially surrounds the bearing magnet ring 118. Between the bearing magnet ring 118 and the output-side coupling magnet 115 there is a tubular portion 303, for example a thin-walled hollow cylinder, of the housing element 103 which separates the bearing magnet ring 118 from the output-side coupling magnet 115. The housing element 103 is made from a non-magnetic metal and/or is formed so as to be non-rotating. The housing 103 results in a separation of media such that, for example in the case of a pump drive, the medium to be pumped cannot reach the interior of the motor.

In general, it can also be stated that the relative strength of the magnets with respect to one other, in particular the relationship between the additional (bearing) magnet ring and the drive-side and output-side coupling magnet, is designed in such a way that, as described above, the repelling forces of the bearing magnetic field also lead to torque and thus to a weakening of the coupling function in the case of axial bearing of the shaft. Therefore, the coupling magnets ought to be designed in such a way that the torque thereof occurring during use is always dominant. The attracting or repelling axial forces as well as flow forces (using the example of a pump) that occur ought to be largely balanced out or absorbed by the axial bearing mentioned above (e.g. ball or slide bearing). Exemplary dimensions of the individual magnetic elements can, in the order of magnitude of the entire coupling in the intended application thereof, involve overall lengths of 3 to 5 mm and diameters of approx. 6 mm. A magnetic strength of the magnets that can be used here can be approximately 1.4 Tesla and can have (temperature-dependent) coercivity field strengths of from −1600 to 0 kA/m.

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart for one embodiment of a method 400 for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment. The method 400 can be designed, using the device for executing the method 400 presented in FIG. 5 , to produce a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function.

In a step 403, the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on a drive shaft, the output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output shaft, and the bearing magnet ring are provided. Finally, in a step 406, the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on a drive shaft, the output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output shaft, and the bearing magnet ring are assembled in such a way that the output-side coupling magnet is magnetically coupled to the drive-side coupling magnet, and the bearing magnet ring is non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling-magnet, at least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet ring having the same polarity as coupling magnet portion opposite the bearing magnet portion, in order to produce a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a device 500 for executing a method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function according to one embodiment. The device 500 is designed to execute and/or trigger the steps of the method for producing a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function in corresponding units.

The device 500 comprises a provision apparatus 503 and an assembly apparatus 506. The provision apparatus is designed to provide a production signal 509 to the assembly apparatus 506 in order to give the assembly apparatus the signal to assemble the individual components of the magnetic coupling element. The provision apparatus 503 is further designed to provide the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on a drive shaft, and also the output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output shaft, and finally the bearing magnet ring. The assembly apparatus 506 is designed to receive the production signal 509 in order to assemble the drive-side coupling magnet arranged on the drive shaft, and also the output-side coupling magnet arranged on the output shaft and finally the bearing magnet ring in such a way that the output-side coupling magnet is magnetically coupled to the drive-side coupling magnet and the bearing magnet ring is non-rotatably mounted with respect to the drive-side or output-side coupling magnet, at least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet ring having the same polarity as a coupling magnet portion opposite the bearing magnet portion, in order to produce a magnetic coupling element with a magnetic bearing function.

If an embodiment comprises an “and/or” conjunction between a first feature and a second feature, this should be understood to mean that the embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature in one form, and has either only the first feature or only the second feature in another form. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic coupling element comprising: a housing element covering at least a distal portion of a drive shaft; an output-side coupling magnet arranged on an output shaft; and a bearing magnet arranged on the distal portion of the drive shaft, at least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet having a same polarity as a coupling magnet portion of the output-side coupling magnet located radially of the bearing magnet portion, wherein the output-side coupling magnet is located radially outwardly of the housing element that covers the distal portion of the drive shaft, and wherein the output-side coupling magnet is located radially outwardly of the bearing magnet.
 2. The magnetic coupling element of claim 1, wherein a first magnetic field of the bearing magnet repels a second magnetic field of the output-side coupling magnet in a radial direction.
 3. The magnetic coupling element of claim 2, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field provide a torque to the output-side coupling magnet.
 4. The magnetic coupling element of claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling element is configured to drive an impeller-like rotor.
 5. The magnetic coupling element of claim 1, wherein a tubular portion of the housing element covers at least the distal portion of the drive shaft.
 6. The magnetic coupling element of claim 5, wherein the tubular portion of the housing element comprises a thin-walled hollow cylinder separating the bearing magnet and the output-side coupling magnet.
 7. The magnetic coupling element of claim 6, wherein the housing element is non-rotatable.
 8. The magnetic coupling element of claim 1, wherein the bearing magnet is rotatable with respect to the housing element.
 9. The magnetic coupling element of claim 8, wherein a rotation of the bearing magnet causes rotation of the output-side coupling magnet.
 10. The magnetic coupling element of claim 1, wherein the bearing magnet is a ring.
 11. A magnetic coupling element, wherein the magnetic coupling element comprises: an output shaft; an output-side coupling magnet having a first magnetic field, the output-side coupling magnet arranged on the output shaft; a drive shaft; and a bearing magnet having a second magnetic field, the bearing magnet arranged on a distal end of the drive shaft, wherein at least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet has a same polarity as a coupling magnet portion of the output-side coupling magnet located radially outwardly of the bearing magnet portion, and wherein the first and second magnetic fields repel one another in a radial direction.
 12. The magnetic coupling element of claim 11, wherein the bearing magnet is a ring.
 13. The magnetic coupling element of claim 11, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field provide a torque to the output-side coupling magnet.
 14. The magnetic coupling element of claim 11, wherein the drive shaft is configured to rotate the bearing magnet.
 15. The magnetic coupling element of claim 14, wherein the output-side coupling magnet is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the bearing magnet.
 16. The magnetic coupling element of claim 11, further comprising a housing element covering at least the distal portion of the drive shaft, wherein the housing element separates the bearing magnet and the output-side coupling magnet.
 17. A magnetic coupling element comprising: a drive shaft; a bearing magnet arranged on a distal portion of the drive shaft; a housing element covering at least a portion of the bearing magnet and the distal portion of the drive shaft; an output shaft; an output-side coupling magnet arranged on the output shaft, wherein at least one bearing magnet portion of the bearing magnet has a same polarity as and repels a coupling magnet portion of the output-side coupling magnet, wherein the at least one bearing magnet portion is located radially inwardly of the coupling magnet portion, and wherein the output-side coupling magnet at least partially surrounds at least a portion of the housing element such that the output-side coupling magnet is located radially outwardly of the bearing magnet, and wherein the drive shaft is configured to rotate the bearing magnet to thereby cause rotation of the output-side coupling magnet.
 18. The magnetic coupling element of claim 17, wherein the bearing magnet is a ring.
 19. The magnetic coupling element of claim 17, wherein the magnetic coupling element is configured to drive an impeller-like rotor.
 20. The magnetic coupling element of claim 17, wherein a first magnetic field of the bearing magnet repels a second magnetic field of the output-side coupling magnet in a radial direction, and wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field provide a torque to the output-side coupling magnet. 